Porcelained metal structure and method of making the same



IM f u INVENTOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 17, 1942. c. MASTERS PORCELAINED METAL STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed sepp/ 25, 1940 ATTORNEY C. MASTERS Nov. 17, 1942.

PORCELAINED METAL STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 on (/a/cnce Neffen.

ATTORN EY C.MASTERS Nov. 17, 1942.

PORCELAINED METAL STRUCTURE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed Sept. 25, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Ii ATTRNEY o ing.

Patented Nov. 17, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT 'o'FFlcE PORCELAINED METAL STRUCTURE AND METHOD F MAKING THE SAME Clarence Masters, Kansas City', Mo., assigner to Koch Butchers Supply Company, North Kausas City, Mo.,\a corporation of Missouri Application September 25, 1 940, Serial No. 358,209

This invention relates to porcelained or vitreous coated metal structures, such as refrigerators, display cases, cabinets, and the like, which are formed of a plurality of metal sections.

Owing to the fact that each of the exterior sections must be individually porcelained or completely finished with its vitreous coating before assembly in the structure, it is the practice to provide an under frame and to attach the exterior sections by clips, bolts, screws or like fasten-` ing devices. These fastening devices are not only unsightly, but the porcelained sections are sub- It is the purpose of the present invention to overcome these diiiiculties by providing a structure and method of assembly whereby porcelain or vitreous coated sheets not only provide the exterior flnish but constitute the supporting structure of the assembly. v

Other objects of the invention are to provide a sheet formation adaptable for welding without danger of damaging the porcelain or vitreous coating, and to provide a method of connecting the sheets by welding whereby heat of the weld fuses the vitreous coatings on the members.

A further object of the invention is to providel a composite porcelained or -vitreous coated structure of simplied, light weight, and sanitary construction.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section through a. refrigerator display case constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section through the case on the line 2--2 of Fig. 4. f

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section through the rear Wall of the ycase on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section through the case on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of one end of the case prior to application of the doors.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of one end of the outer portion of the case.

Fig. 7 is a detail section through one of the joints prior to welding.

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the joint after welding. y

Fig. 9 is a perspective section of a modified form of joint.

Fig. l0 is a sectional view through a further modiiled form of Joint.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

y I designates a porcelained or vitreous coated structure such as a refrigerator display case which isconstructed and assembled in accordance with the present invention, and which includes end walls l23, a front wall 4 having anV upper rearwardly .inclined transparent'panel portion 5, a rear wall 6 having a similarly inclined portion l provided with door openings 8, a top 9, and a bottom .IIL The lower portion of the rear wall may be provided with door openings I I by which acc'ess may be had to a storage compartment I2 inthe bottom of the case. The upper portion of the case constitutes a display section and access is had thereto by way of the door openings 8.

` The walls just described include outer metal sheets I3 and inner sheets I4 spaced therefrom to containv an insulating material I5 therebetween, the inner sheets being attached to frame members I6 which are interposed against the outer sheets to provide support thereof and suitable framing around the various doors and transparent panel openings in the case..KA In the present construction, the outer sheets I3 have their exterior surfaces covered with porcelain or vitreous material, and they are so joined together that they form a unitary exterior structure which constitutes the main supporting element of the case.

The exterior sheets of the end walls are initially formed as single units, having body portions I'l shaped according to the end of the case and having laterallyv iianged peripheries I8 terminating in inwardly extending flanges- I9, all formed and welded together prior to application of the porcelain coating. The outer sheet at the 4lower portion of the front wall is co-extensive with the lower portion of the case and has a body portion 20, having lateral anges 2l at the ends thereof abutting the flanges I9 of the end units,

an inwardly broken upper flange 22 extending along the lower edge of the panel opening, and an inwardly extending ange 23 along the lower edge thereof terminating in an upwardly extending lip 24 to form a substantially channel-shaped seat 25 to receive the exterior bottom sheet 2B.

The outer part of the rear wall includes a lower member 21, which extends the length of the case below the door openings I I and has lateral flanges 28 at the ends thereof abutting against the lateral flanges I9 of the end members. The member 21 also has`a lateral flange 29 extending along the upper edge thereof, and a base flange 30 along the lower edge terminating in a lip 3|, similar to the base flange 23 and lip 24 of the front member. Also extending across the rear portion of the case, between the upper and lower openings thereof, is a rail member 32 having lateral flanges 33 and 34 on the edges thereof and having anges 35 abutting against the end flanges I9 of the end members.

The top 9 includes a sheet having side edges flanged downwardly, as at 36 and 31, and which terminate in lateral flanges 38 and 39. The ends of the top sheet terminate in lateral flanges 40 abutting against the adjacent flange I9 of the end member, as shown in Fig. 6. Inset at the ends of the case and between the door openings are panel members 4l, 42 and 43, which panels have inwardlydirected flanges 44 adapted to abut against the flanges of the adjacent members to which the insert panels are connected. The upper inclined portion of the case which carries the door openings 8 also has inserted panels 45 at each end and a center panel 46 defining the sides of the door openings. These panels are similarly provided with lateral flanges 48 on the edges thereof, which abut against the adjacent flanges of the members to which they are attached.

The individual sheet members, being shaped and flanged as above described, are coated on their exterior surfaces with a base coating 49 which extends completely over the curved bends 50 which form the flanges and over the abutting faces of the flanges as indicated at 5I, Fig. 7. If desired, the inner surfaces of the members may be similarly provided with a ground coating 52 which extends over the inner faces of the flanges. Both coatings, however, are preferably terminated short of the edges 53 of the flanges, as indicated at 54 in Fig. 7, or the edges are wiped clean of the coatings, to expose the edges 53 of the metal. After firing of the face coatings, a heavy porcelain coating 55 of desired color is applied over the base coating 49 with the heavy porcelain terminating slightly short of the curves 50, as indicated at 56.

After the final coating is fired, the sheets are ready for assembly to form the case and to be welded together. Welding of the sections t0- gether is effected by striking a welding arc at spaced points along the exposed edges 53 of the flanges to melt the edges together, or the metal of a Welding rod is fused t0 the edges 53, as indicated at 5l. The heat of the Weld also fuses the base coatings on the abutting anges, however, the flanges are of such depth that the hea-t is not conducted into the exposed exterior surfaces of the porcelain coatings. Any flexure taking place incidental to heating of the metal and cooling of the Weld takes place in the flanges and the bends thereof so that the procelain is not placed under strains which would ordinarily effect disintegration due to the extremely brittle character thereof.

If desired, a continuous weld may be produced along the edges of the flanges as indicated at 58 in Fig. 9. With such a weld the fusing point of the base coatings will be continuous along the length of the anges so that the exposed portion of the porcelain on the exterior surfaces of the sheets will be continuous to protect the weld from corrosion. I'he continuous weld also provides for complete closure of the joint to avoid filtration of air therethrough that may interfere with the refrigerating efficiency of the case.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 10, a plastic material 59 is inserted between the flanges. This plastic material acts as a buffer between the flanged surfaces and controls the fusion thereof as indicated at 60.

When the porcelain or vitreous coated parts are thus formed and welded together, the exterior part of the case forms the supporting structure thereof so that the interior frames are not necessary, other than the framing required for attaching the inner. sheets. The resulting case is not only exceptionally strong, but is of light weight construction. This results in saving to the purchaser, reduction in transportation rates, and ease of handling of the completed case. The case is also of better appearance because the exterior surfaces are entirelyfree of the heads of fastening devices or markings that result from attachment of concealed clips and the like. l

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided an improved porcelained structure, and method of Welding the same which permits of vsuccessfully precoating of the sheets with a porcelain or vitreous material prior to assembly.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The method of making a porcelain structure including, flanging the edge portion of a metal sheet to be connected to a part of said structure, coating the outer surface of the sheet with a base porcelain, terminating the base porcelain in spaced relation with the edge of said flange, firing the base porcelain, applying a second and heavier coating of porcelain over the base porcelain, terminating the heavier porcelain substantially at the point of the bend for said flange, firing the heavier porcelain, supporting the sheet with the base porcelain on said flange in abutting face contact with said part of the structure, and welding the exposed edge of said flange to said part with sufficient heat to fuse a portion of the base porcelain nearest said weld.

2. The method of forming a porcelain structure including, flanging metal sheets to be connected, coating the sheets with a base porcelain, terminating the base porcelain in spaced relation with the edges of said flanges, firing the base porcelain, applying a second and heavier coating of porcelain over the base porcelain, terminating the heavier porcelain substantially at the point of said flanges, ring the heavier porcelain, supporting the sheets with the porcelain on said flanges in facing contact and with said edges of the flanges in coextensive parallel relation, and welding the exposed edges of said flanges together.

3. The method of making a porcelain structure including, flanging metal sheets at margins thereof to be connected, coating the sheets with a base porcelain, terminating the base porcelain in spaced relation with edge faces of said flanges, firing the base porcelain, applying a second and heavier coating of porcelain over the base porcelain, terminating the heavier porcelain substantially at the point of the bend of said flanges, firing the heavier porcelain, supporting the ln) i tensive with edges or the manges te connect said flanges in spaced relation with the terminating sheets with the-base porcelain on said nanges in face to face contact with said edges in parallel contiguous relation, and welding the exposed edge faces oi said flanges together with sumcient heat to eii'ect fusion oi' a part of the coating on said nanges including the point of the weld.

4. In a porcelain structure, a plurality oi preformed sheets having adjacent edges provided with lateral ilanges, a'base porcelain covering said sheets including facing portions of said flanges, a heavier porcelain coating terminating on said sheets slightly short of said iianges, and welds connecting the edges of the ilanges.

5. In a porcelain structure, a plurality of preformed sheets having adjacent edges provided with lateral flanges in tace to face contact, a. base porcelain covering said sheets including A said facing ilanges, a heavier porcelain coating on the body portions of said sheets terminating over the base porcelain, terminating the heavier slightly short otxsaid flanges. and welds coex- 20 points of said heavier porcelain.

6. The method oi' making a porcelain structure including, i'ianging the edge portion of a metal sheet to be connected to a part of said structure, coating the outer surface of the sheet including the corresponding surface of saidv ilange with a base porcelain, tiring the base porcelain, applying a second and heavier coating of porcelain porcelain substantially at the point ofthe bend for said flange. ilring the heavier porcelain, -supweld. s y 

